Best low-carb fruits with almost zero calories

Best low-carb fruits with almost zero calories

Fruits are recommended as a healthy food choice and with good reason. They are an excellent source of beneficial nutrients such as antioxidants, phytochemicals, vitamins and minerals.

However, some dieters may be concerned about the sugar and carbohydrate content of the fruit. Are fruits really “nature sweets”?

Far from being candy, calories from fruit come mainly from carbohydrates. However, the 2 carbohydrates are naturally present (fructose and glucose). There is no added sugar in whole fruits.

Fruits also contain fiber and "net carbohydrates" can be counted. Fiber is not absorbed and digested. It goes through the GI system. Therefore, in theory, grams of fiber should not be counted in your carbohydrates per day.

In the case of whole foods, such as fruit, "net carbohydrates" simply subtract grams of fiber from the total grams of carbohydrates. The more fiber in a fruit, the less net carbohydrate there is.

Included in this article are 23 low-carb fruits that can be included in a low-carb diet.

What fruits can you eat on a low-carb diet?

It really depends on the type of low carb diet. Some moderate reduced carbohydrate diets of 100 to 150 grams of carbohydrates per day will have more room to allow fruit and one of the options below would be suitable.

Smaller diets, such as the ketogenic diet (50 grams of carbohydrates or less per day), have less room to hold fruit, but it can be done. In this case, the berries can go well with raspberries and blackberries providing the least amount of carbohydrates of all the berries.

Avocado is always a good option because it has more fat than carbohydrates and most carbohydrates come from fiber. Olives are another fruit that provides more fat than carbohydrates. Tomatoes also contain fewer carbohydrates and calories.

Raspberries and blackberries are a popular option because they provide more fiber than fructose.

Additional options that may be suitable include plums, apricot, kiwi, star fruit, peaches, clementines, cantaloupe and cherries.

Why are calories in fruit important?

Calories in fruit count like calories in any food material.

Fruits are a healthier and lower calorie option compared to other sources of carbohydrates, especially products with added sugar (candy and soda). Fruits also provide important micronutrients.

However, it is always possible to overeat or exceed the recommended portions. This is of particular concern for those on a diet to lose weight or a strict diet for type 2 diabetes.

If you're on a low-carbohydrate diet, it's a good idea to keep a close watch on your fruit intake and servings.

23 low-carb fruits with almost zero calories

Although they are mainly made up of carbohydrates, some can be considered low-carb fruits compared to others. This is related to their size or portions and their fiber content. Whenever possible, the nutritional content was compared using a 1-cup serving.

1. Apples

An average apple provides 94.6 calories, 25 g of carbohydrates, 4.4 g of F and 18.9 g of sugars (S). They are at the upper end of the range of low-carb fruit choices. Some will use half an apple at a time.

2. Apricot

A full cup of apricot halves provides 74.4 calories, 2 grams (g) of protein, 17.2 g of carbohydrates (3.1 g F and 14.3 g S). As apricots are quite small, a fresh apricot contains only 17 calories and less than 4 grams of carbohydrates. It is also a good source of vitamin A, beta carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin. Lutein and zeaxanthin are important antioxidants for eye health.

3. Blackberries

One cup of blackberries provides 62 calories. They provide just under 14 grams of carbohydrates but 7.63 grams of F, so the net carbohydrates may look more like 6 to 7 g carbohydrates. Blackberries are also a source of potassium, magnesium and vitamin C.

4. Blueberries

One cup of blueberries equals about 84 calories. They provide 21.4 g of carbohydrates, 14.7 g of S and 3.6 g of F. They also offer                                                                     vitamin C, vitamin K and manganese.

5. Cantaloupe

One cup of this variety of melon provides 53 calories and almost 13 grams of carbohydrates (1.4 grams of F and 12 g of S). Cantaloupe is a food choice.

6. Carambola (carambola)

A cup of sliced ​​starfruit provides 33.5 calories, 7.3 g of carbohydrates (3 g F and only 4.3 g S). A medium-sized star fruit provides a smaller portion and therefore less carbohydrates. This makes star fruit a great option, even for the most restrictive diets.

7. Cherries

One cup of cherries provides 86 calories. The calories come mainly from carbohydrates (22 grams, 3 g of F and 18 g of S). They also provide potassium and vitamin C.

8. Clementine

A small clementine provides only 35 calories. Due to their small size and low calorie content, they are also low in carbohydrates. They provide 9 grams of total carbohydrates with 1 gram F. Like other citrus fruits, they provide vitamin C and potassium.

9. Pink / white grapefruit

One cup of grapefruit segments provides 74 calories. Calories come from 18.6 g of carbohydrates (2.5 g F and 16 g S). They are a source of potassium, magnesium, vitamin C, vitamin A and folate.

10. honeydew

A cup of honeydew melon is just over 60 calories from 15.5 grams of carbohydrates (1.4 g F and 14 g S). Honeydew is a source of potassium, vitamin C, vitamin A and folate.

11. Kiwi

A cup of kiwi provides 108 calories, but a cup is probably more than a normal serving is for kiwi. If you ate only one kiwi, this would only provide 42 calories (10 g total carbohydrates, 2 g F and 6 g S). If you eat a cup of kiwi, this will provide 26 grams of carbohydrates, 5.3 g of F, vitamin E and K, potassium and folic acid. A kiwi provides more vitamin C than an orange.

12. Mango

A cup of sliced ​​mango provides 99 calories, 24.7 grams of carbohydrates, 2.6 g of F and 22.5 g of S. If you just cut and eat whole mango, depending on the size, it could provide 25 calories additional. Mango is a good source of potassium, folic acid and beta-carotene.

13. Nectarine

One cup of sliced ​​nectarine contains 63 calories and provides 15 grams of carbohydrates (2.4 g F and 11 g S). They also provide vitamin A, vitamin C and potassium.

14. Olives

Most people do not consider olives as a fruit. A cup of olives provides 8.9 g of carbohydrates, 4.4 g of F and no sugar. Like avocados, they contain more fat than carbohydrates and provide 14 g of fat and 154 calories in a cup. Pre-portioned snack packets can be helpful to avoid eating too much.

15. Orange

A cup of orange segments provides 85 calories, 21.2 g of carbohydrates, 4.3 g of F and 17 g of S. But if you tend to just peel and eat an orange, a medium orange provides 62 calories, 15 grams of carbohydrates and 3 grams of F.

16. Papaya

A cup of cubed papaya gives 62 calories, 15.7 grams of carbohydrates, 2.5 g of F and 11 g of S. Papaya serves a good amount of lycopene. Lycopene is an antioxidant with benefits for heart health. It also offers vitamin A and potassium.

17. Peach

A cup of sliced ​​peach provides 60 calories, 14.7 grams of carbohydrates, 2.3 g of F and 13 g of S. Peaches can be eaten in a variety of ways - raw, in salads, grilled, baked and sautéed.

18. Pear

A single cup of diced pear provides 85.5 calories from 22.8 grams of carbohydrates (4.7 g F and 14.6 g S). Like peaches, pear is also versatile and can be cooked, poached, added to salads. Make sure to eat the pear skin as this is where most of the nutrients are found.

19. pineapple

A cup of cubed pineapple provides 83 calories, 22 g of carbohydrates, 2.3 g of F and 16 g of S. The portion would also meet your daily vitamin C needs.

20. Plum

A cup of sliced ​​plum provides 76 calories, 18.8 g of carbohydrates, 2.3 g of F and 16.4 g of S. It is more typical that you can just grab a small plum to bite. In this case, a plum represents about 30 calories from 7.5 grams of carbohydrates.

21. Granada

One cup of pomegranate seeds provides 144 calories from 32.5 grams of carbohydrates (7 g F). A full pomegranate provides less than a cup of seeds, so eating a pomegranate would not provide as many calories or carbohydrates. One possible advantage of fresh pomegranate is that the challenge of removing seeds could encourage portion control. Pomegranate seeds are great to add to salads or oats in the morning and the serving size is usually much smaller than a cup.

22. Tomato

The tomato is often grouped with vegetables but it grows on a vine and is a fruit. A cup of chopped tomato contains only 32 calories and provides 7 g of carbohydrates, 2.2 g of F and 4.7 g of S. They are rich in lycopene.

23. Watermelon

Watermelons have a high water content. A cup of cubed watermelon provides only 46 calories from 11.5 grams of carbohydrates (0.6 grams F). Another good source of lycopene is watermelon.